Combination desk with connector

ABSTRACT

A desk having a first board and a second board, each board being rectangular with a front, back, top and bottom side the front made of a first material and the back made of a second material, a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion and a support bottom, wherein the first board and second board are slightly smaller than the rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside the rectangular shaped frame and the support bottom supports the receipt of the first board and the second board. There is also at least one connector for attaching the top of the first board to the top of the second board to form an easel; and at least four support members attached to the bottom of the rectangular shaped frame.

This invention is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/752,284. The invention relates generally to a desk with storage and removable, multi-positional and multi-sided writing surfaces which may be different types of surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, there was the ubiquitous blackboard or slate, which was written on with sticks of chalk. Commonly today, the board is white in color and is written on with special felt markers. The whiteboard provides erasable information, much like the blackboard but offers a different type of writing surface. Often children or artists attempting to achieve a specific type of effect in a sketch or drawing will have a desire to work solely on one type of surface or may desire to use both types of surfaces interchangeably.

Young children often need a smaller sized workstation where they can experiment with different mediums, a vertical surface, similar to that of an easel is ideal for this purpose. Yet the need for a flat table for other various craft products is also existent.

Moreau, U.S. Pat. App. No. 20030226948, teaches an easel workstation consisting of four legs attached to a base so that the legs form a pyramid structure. This design does not include a nonpermanent means to write on the board, nor does it include a flat working surface.

Holdredge, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,103, teaches a combination table/easel including a worksurface with an erasable surface which is able to be positioned as either a table or easel. However, this is an easily collapsible design, not very sturdy in nature, and does not include a dual sided writing surface or storage capabilities.

Previous systems do not provide for both a flat and upright desk/easel apparatus designed to be compactly stored and stow supplies inside.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is envisioned that the present invention may be utilized as a free standing desk with two removable, repositionable upper surfaces which have a different surface on each side of the upper surface. This desk provides for a flat and upright desk/easel which can be compactly stored and has a storage compartment or drawer to stow supplies within the frame.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a desk having a first board and a second board, each board being rectangular with a front, back, top and bottom side the front made of a first material and the back made of a second material, a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion and a support bottom, wherein the first board and second board are slightly smaller than the rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside the rectangular shaped frame and the support bottom supports the receipt of the first board and the second board. There is also at least one connector for attaching the top of the first board to the top of the second board to form an easel; and at least four support members attached to the bottom of the rectangular shaped frame.

According to another embodiment, a desk comprising a first board, wherein the first board is rectangular with a front, back, top and bottom side, wherein the front is made of a first material and the back is made of a second material; a second board, wherein the second board is rectangular with a front, back, top and bottom side, wherein the front side is made of a first material and the back side is made of a second material; a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion and a support bottom, wherein the first board and the second board are slightly smaller than the rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside the rectangular shaped frame and the bottom side of the first board and the bottom side of the second board are hingedly attached to the inside of the frame and the support bottom supports the receipt of the first board and the second board; at least one connector for attaching the top of the first board to the top of the second board to form an easel, wherein the connector is comprised of a first triangular corner box shaped portion opposed to a second triangular corner box shaped portion; at least four support members are hindgedly attached to the bottom of the rectangular shaped frame and a support stop stops each the four support member at an angle between 90 and 160 degrees from the frame; and at least one additional support members having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to one of the four support members and the second end is connected to another of the four support members.

Yet another embodiment discloses a desk comprising: a first board, wherein the first board is rectangular with a front, back, top and bottom side, wherein the front is made of a first material and the back is made of a second material; a second board, wherein the second board is rectangular with a front, back, top and bottom side, wherein the front side is made of a first material and the back side is made of a second material; a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion having at least one cutout and a support bottom, wherein the first board and the second board are slightly smaller than the rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside the rectangular shaped frame and the bottom side of the first board and the bottom side of the second board are hingedly attached to the inside of the frame and the support bottom supports the receipt of the first board and the second board; at least one connector for attaching the top of the first board to the top of the second board to form an easel, wherein the connector is comprised of a first triangular corner box shaped portion opposed to a second triangular corner box shaped portion; at least four support members are hindgedly attached to the bottom of the rectangular shaped frame and a support stop stops each the four support member at an angle between 90 and 160 degrees from the frame; at least one additional support members having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to one of the four support members and the second end is connected to another of the four support members; and at least one storage tray removably contained within the frame.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a front view according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a side view according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a top view according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a bottom view according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a back view according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 depicts a side view according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 depicts a bottom view according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 depicts an elevational view of a connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 depicts an elevational view of a connector according to the present invention; and

FIG. 10 depicts an exploded view according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

It is envisioned that the present invention provides a desk comprising a first board 18, wherein the first board 18 is rectangular with a front side 20, back side 22, top side 24 and bottom side 26, wherein the front side 20 is made of a first material and the back side 22 is made of a second material. A second board 28, wherein the second board 28 is rectangular with a front side 30, back side 32, top side 34 and bottom side 36, wherein the front side 30 is made of a first material and the back side 32 is made of a second material. A rectangular shaped frame 38 having a top portion 40, a bottom portion 42, a support bottom 44. The rectangular shaped frame 38 has an inner portion 46 and outer portion 48. The first board 18 and second board 28 are slightly smaller than the rectangular shaped frame 38 as to fit inside the rectangular shaped frame 38. The support bottom 44 supports the receipt of the first board 18 and second board 28. The first board 18 and the second board 29 may also be hingedly attached to the inside 46 of the frame parallel to one another. According to this embodiment, it would be desirable to have one board attached higher than the other so that they may be folded to fit inside the frame for storage. For example, the top end 24 of the first board 18 may be folded down inside the frame 38 and the top 34 end of the second board 28 may be folded down inside 46 the frame 38 to be on top of (parallel to) the bottom side 26 of the first board 18 and contained within the frame 38. The connector 50 for attaching the top side 24 of the first board 18 to the top side 34 of the second board 28 to form an easel shape. There may also be at least four support members (e.g. 52, 54, 56, 58), wherein each support member (e.g. 52, 54, 56, 58) have a first end 62 and a second end 60 and each first end 62 of each member is in contact with the ground and each second end 60 of each member is in contact with the underside of the frame 38 as to support the frame 38 off of the ground, as shown in FIG. 1. There may also be a cutout 64 in the frame parallel to the first board 18 and the second board 18. The cutout 64 allows the user to comfortably sit and draw, write, play, etc. on the first board 18 or second board 18.

There may also be additional support members 68 having a first end 67 and a second end 69, wherein the first end 67 is connected to one of the four support members (e.g. 52, 54, 56, 58) and the second end 69 is connected to another of the four support members. As shown, there are two additional support members 68 parallel to one another. There may also be support stops 80. The support stops 80 allow the four support members to be connected to the frame at an angle between 90 and 160 degrees, as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the connector 50 may be two triangular corner box shaped portions opposing one another. The first triangular corner box shaped portion 70 and second triangular corner box shaped portions 72 are shaped to receive a corner of the top side 24 of a first board 18 and a corner of the top side 34 of a second board 28 to form an easel shape. As shown, the connector 50 is substantially triangular which is the equivalent of triangular.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A desk comprising: a first board, wherein said first board is rectangular with a front side, back side, top side and bottom side, wherein said front side is made of a first material and said back side is made of a second material; a second board, wherein said second board is rectangular with a front side, back side, top side and bottom side, wherein said front side is made of a first material and said back side is made of a second material; a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion and a support bottom, wherein said first board and said second board are slightly smaller than said rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside said rectangular shaped frame and said support bottom supports the receipt of said first board and said second board; at least one connector for attaching said top side of said first board to said top side of said second board to form an easel; and at least four support members attached to the bottom side of said rectangular shaped frame.
 2. A desk as in claim 1, wherein said front side of said first board and said second board is selected from the consisting of blackboard, gameboard, whiteboard, slate, dry erase or corkboard.
 3. A desk as in claim 1, wherein said back side of said first board and said second board is selected from the group consisting of blackboard, gameboard, whiteboard, slate, dry erase or corkboard.
 4. A desk as in claim 1, further comprising at least one additional support member having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is connected to one of said four support members and said second end is connected to another of said four support members.
 5. A desk as in claim 1, wherein each of said at least four support members are hingedly attached to said frame.
 6. A desk as in claim 1, further comprising at least one storage tray removably contained within said frame.
 7. A desk as in claim 1, wherein said bottom side of said first board is hingedly attached to the inside of said frame.
 8. A desk as in claim 1, wherein said bottom side of said second board is hingedly attached to the inside of said frame.
 9. A desk as in claim 1, further comprising at least four support stops, wherein said support stops allow said four support members to be connected to said frame at an angle between 90 and 160 degrees.
 10. A desk as in claim 1, wherein said connector is comprised of a first triangular corner box shaped portion opposed to a second triangular corner box shaped portion.
 11. A desk as in claim 1, further comprising a cutout along the bottom of at least one side of said frame.
 12. A desk comprising: a first board, wherein said first board is rectangular with a front side, back side, top side and bottom side, wherein said front side is made of a first material and said back side is made of a second material; a second board, wherein said second board is rectangular with a front side, back side, top side and bottom side, wherein said front side is made of a first material and said back side is made of a second material; a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion and a support bottom, wherein said first board and said second board are slightly smaller than said rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside said rectangular shaped frame and said bottom side of said first board and said bottom side of said second board are hingedly attached to the inside of said frame and said support bottom supports the receipt of said first board and said second board; at least one connector for attaching said top of said first board to said top of said second board to form an easel, wherein said connector is comprised of a first triangular corner box shaped portion opposed to a second triangular corner box shaped portion; at least four support members are hindgedly attached to the bottom of said rectangular shaped frame and a support stop stops each said four support member at an angle between 90 and 160 degrees from said frame; and at least one additional support members having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is connected to one of said four support members and said second end is connected to another of said four support members.
 13. A desk as in claim 12, wherein said top side of said first board and said second upper surface is selected from the consisting of blackboard, gameboard, whiteboard, slate, dry erase or corkboard.
 14. A desk as in claim 12, wherein said bottom side of said first upper surface and said second board is selected from the group consisting of blackboard, gameboard, whiteboard, slate, dry erase or corkboard.
 15. A desk as in claim 12, further comprising at least one storage tray removably contained within said frame.
 16. A desk comprising: a first board, wherein said first board is rectangular with a front side, back side, top side and bottom side, wherein said front side is made of a first material and said back side is made of a second material; a second board, wherein said second board is rectangular with a front side, back side, top side and bottom side, wherein said front side is made of a first material and said back side is made of a second material; a rectangular shaped frame having a top portion, a bottom portion having at least one cutout and a support bottom, wherein said first board and said second board are slightly smaller than said rectangular shaped frame as to fit inside said rectangular shaped frame and said bottom side of said first board and said bottom side of said second board are hingedly attached to the inside of said frame and said support bottom supports the receipt of said first board and said second board; at least one connector for attaching said top of said first board to said top of said second board to form an easel, wherein said connector is comprised of a first triangular corner box shaped portion opposed to a second triangular corner box shaped portion; at least four support members are hindgedly attached to the bottom of said rectangular shaped frame and a support stop stops each said four support member at an angle between 90 and 160 degrees from said frame; at least one additional support members having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is connected to one of said four support members and said second end is connected to another of said four support members; and at least one storage tray removably contained within said frame.
 17. A desk as in claim 16, wherein said top side of said first board and said second upper surface is selected from the consisting of blackboard, gameboard, whiteboard, slate, dry erase or corkboard.
 18. A desk as in claim 16, wherein said bottom side of said first upper surface and said second board is selected from the group consisting of blackboard, gameboard, whiteboard, slate, dry erase or corkboard. 